The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-10-07

t00t Ms most tet5lo10 0u1I10uE0s W9tc
unable % Withstand the oGsr 81 :
peaceful solution over : bowl Of punch
His guileless talk and southern accent
his peculiar way q lisping and other
physical oddities, gave 20 his daily
Odyssey : smack Of tho most genuine
comic bulEoonsry.
When the mania for fighting was
strong within him L was difficult 70
cvade his mood. Ono day nc would
enter Z co6ee-house. take his seat and
say % . near neighbor;
ssAfter you. the Figaro. please"
s.Sir," the other would politely re-
spond. 1T IL not the Figure, but the
Constitutional that ! am reading"
'Oh! you would give me the lie.
would your Take care, sir. or. by
Hesvensl Ill teach you better man
ners."
On another occasion he would intro
duce 4 like Gene after this fashion:
sNow. don't keep staring at me In
that offensive way, p~lease!'
H." expostulated the customer.
s'Lord bless me. sir. ! didn't even see
you. ] was looking tho other way"
"Oh! then l am a liar. am ~" And
Choquart would rise from his seat In q
threatening attitude.
Even the most peaceful persons could
scarcely put up with such insolence.
They felt like tucking up their sleeves
and knocking Choquart down. Nor
did he fail. at times. to meet with his
deserts. He more than once stumbled
on a Tartar. His best known scrape
that way is worth relating. Choquart
ono day entered a courtyard to chal-
lcnge q MASTER builder. who was pump
ing water at . fountain. Tho MASTER
builder looked up surprised. caught
hold Of Choquart by the scruff Of his
neck. doubled him up. put him under
the pump, and soused him like . dead
rat.
The story Of Choquart's adventures
would fill a volume. but ! will relate
only one. wherein | acted a. bis sec
ond.
One night, at a masked ball. Cho-
quart quarreled with a Turk. Cards
were exchanged. The following day,
Choquart, with his two seconds. went
to his adversary's house. The Turk Of
the previous evening turned out to be
q well-to-do upholsterer. who carried
on business IN the Saint-Martin quar-
ter. On entering the premises. Cho-
quart inquired after NJ BalIu-
"What can lido for your" asked a
young and pretty woman, who anne
forward from the back Of the shop.
.Stuff and nonsense! / don't like
jokingin matters Of serious Importance.
My name is Choquart- ! come for an
affair Of honor. A gentleman shouldn't
be made to wait in this manner Your
husband is an ill-bred dog"
"Oh. excuse me. ] know what
brings you. This is what have to say.
My husband went out yesterday to
spend the carnival. and It has made
him i'll He is in bed. and spits blood"
Dear me- remarked Choquart,
turning toward his seconds. ''what a
mischance! He spits blood. did you
say"
ALAS! YES sir. answered the young
woman. who seemed much affected.
and the doctor says that he has not six
months to live"
Dear mer' went on repeating
Choquart. splitting blood. How shall
we settle matters. thenP Hasn't six
months to live. Well, madame, I'm
not a bad fellow. whatever Others may
think. Now. listen to what ] have to
say. We are in January. aren't we?
Just 50. Well. I'll give your husband
six months TO be buried in. Ishall call
around and pay my respects six months
hence. II. in July next, your husband
isn't dead and buried. I'll treat him As
a knave and deceivcr. and placard his
name in all the barracks Of Paris"
This threat. which constantly fell
from Choquart's lips. was . reminis-
ccncc Of his soldier life. The thought
never suggested itself that an uphol-
sterer might not care the jingle Of a
brass farthing whether his name were
placarded or not in all the barracks Of
the country.
One fine afternoon in July Of that
same year. Choquart took hold Of my
arm at the Varieties coffee-house, and
said:
s.Come along with me-. old boy; !
have a small matter which | real
" must clear up without further loss Of
tine"
We took q road whichle led toward the
Saint Martin quarter, and. rs we
walked along. Choquart entered cir
substantially into the particulars Of
the case. The upholstercr's day Of
reckoning had arrived, and Choquart
was bent on finding out whether his
former Turk had paid the funeral draft
Endorsed six months previously by his
wife.
III" solilcquized Choquart ''the
rogue i still alive. I'll cut OF both his
ears, you know. I'm justified In %
doing. am ] not?"
.'Of course you are. my dear fellow.
But let me ask. the thing occurred
long ago, didn't il, snd in the carnival